In the past, there has been a need for a one-piece gearshift lever that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture through cold forming of the functional end of the lever. There has also been a need for a lever formed by this method that enables wires to run along the length of lever between the knob or operative end and the functional end of the lever to enable an electrical switch to be positioned at the operative end of the lever for actuation of an electrical system, for example, an overdrive system.
Past methods of forming gearbox levers with wires along the length of the lever have included drilling the centre of a piece of steel which further requires subsequent deburring operations to reduce the risk of wear on the wire by metal burrs created during drilling. Other methods of forming gearshift levers have included complex welding operations. These operations also add to the cost of manufacturing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,384 discloses an electrical switch mounted on a knob, with the switch terminal connected to wires which extend down the exterior of the gearshift stick. This patent shows a wire extending within the protective sleeve and over the shift stick. In another embodiment, this patent also shows a wire extending down the hollow interior of stick exiting at the bottom through a slot.
This patent does not disclose a gearshift lever made of a one piece formed metal tube in combination with a cold formed linkage end which is formed to a specific shape. In addition, where the wire extends under a protective sleeve this patent does not disclose a slot through which the electrical wire runs from the switch to the linkage end, running axially along the length of the gearshift lever.
PCT International Application No. WO 91/02912 discloses a lever consisting of a cylindrical pipe inserted in a cavity of a knob. A contact element is part of an electrical switch in the lever and the knob is in contact with an isolated connecting lead. The contact is connected to an electrical circuit through a connecting lead. Both the contact element and connecting lead are outside of the cylindrical shaped pipe. This patent does not disclose the running of a connecting lead (wiring) through a cylindrical tube from a switch to a gearshift lever linkage end, or a gearshift lever made of one piece of a formed metal tube in combination with a functional end which is cold formed to a specific shape.
Canadian Patent No. 838,757 discloses an electrical control switch movably mounted on an actuating lever having a tubular housing member within which is located a contact assembly. The end of the lever is received within the wire receiving passage of a housing member and lead wires pass through the lever, from the steering column, to a passage for connection to the terminal end of the contact members of the assembly. This patent does not disclose a gearshift lever made of one piece of a formed metal tube, in combination with a functional end which is cold formed to a specific shape.